Electro-magnetic radiation proof plug and receptacle



Feb. 20', 1968 R, E, BETTS 3,370,140

ELECTRO-MAGNETIC RADIATION PROOF PLUG AND RECEPTACLE Filed Nov. 16, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 44 FIG. 4

I I6 34 1 ss FIG. 5

36 re I ,4o

FIG. 6

Robert E. Behs,

INVENTOR.

Feb. 20, 1968 R. E. BETTS 3,370,140

ELECTRO-MAGNETIC RADIATION PROOF PLUG AND RECEPTACLE Filed Nov. 16, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 7

vs 48 l-34 as I8 1 4o IZ/ FIG. 8

FIG. 9

Robert E. Berts,

FIG. IO )M 1/. M1

INVENTOR.

United tates doc 3,370,140 ELECTRO-MAGNETIC RADIATIQN PROOF PLUG AND RECEPTACLE Robert E. Betts, 8107 Hogan Drive, Huntsville, Ala. 35802 Filed Nov. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 595,316 Claims. (Cl. 200-511) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An electromagnetic radiation proof connector including male and female members, the male member is provided with a plurality of conductors extending therefrom for insertion into a plurality of receptacles of the female member. Both members are provided with means for shielding thereof against stray radiation. The male member includes a shorting member engaging the conductors thereof for shorting the conductors of the male and female members until the device is completely shielded during the assembly of the members at which time the shorting member is displaced from engagement with the conductors of the male members responsive to engagement of the shorting member with the female member responsive to assembly of the two members.

The invention described herein is subject to the reservation to the Government of a non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free license in the invention with power to grant licenses for all governmental purposes.

This invention relates to an RF and static proof electrical connector and more particularly to such a connector utilized in electric initiator circuits in all rocket systems or any electrical apparatus requiring continuous shielding and/ or shorting during connecting.

One of the hazards associated with electric connectors and initiators for rocket motors is that stray RF and electrostatic energy may enter the system and prematurely ignite the igniter. Conventional electrical connectors used with rockets today use either one or multiple pin type screw-on or clamp-on connectors, either shielded or unshielded, When used in rocket motor ignition application, an electric initiator or igniter circuit is attached to the connector and the connector is attached to a shorting plug. To arm the rocket, the shorting plug is removed and the firing connector attached to the initiator connector. At this point in time, the initiator is subjected to accidenal firing from RF and electrostatic energy.

The device of the present invention overcomes the hazards noted above by providing means whereby the electric initiator is shorted and/or shielded throughout all operations. The connection between the firing line and the electric initiator line are pre-made before any shield or shorting devices are broken, thereby, preventing any stray radiation from entering into the system during this operation.

The device of the present invention can be used where electric connectors are used with electric initiators in all rocket systems or electrical apparatus requiring continuous shielding and shorting during connecting.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector which permits the connecting of electrical components while preventing stray RF and electrostatic energy from emitting from or entering therein.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a connector for the elimination of the hazards associated with electrostatic and RF environments in general, and specifically as applied to electroexplosive devices.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a connector which permits components to be connected together under shielded and/or shorted and/or grounded conditions.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector for connecting a rocket motor initiator into a firing circuit in a manner which will prevent stray radiation from entering the initiator and firing the motor prematurely.

The foregoing and other objects of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view, partially in section, of the connector of the present invention showing the male and female members in disassembled position.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the male and female members in mating position for shielding and shorting of the components of the male member while maintaining the electrical conductors of the male and female members spaced apart.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the male and female members in a second stage of engagement for shielding and shorting of the components of the male member while maintaining the electrical conductors of the male and female member together.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 illustrating the male and female members in complete engagement to permit electrical continuity between the conductors of each member and the short disengaged.

FIGURES 5, 6, 7, 8 are views of the electrical circuit of the connector when the male and female members are in the position shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively.

FIGURE 9 is a view of another embodiment of the invention illustrating an end plate for enclosing and shielding the male member at all times.

FIGURE 10 is an end view of the enclosure plate for the embodiment shown in FIGURE 9.

As shown in the figures, the connector 10 includes male and female members 12 and 14, respectively. Male member 12 includes a pair of conducting pins 16 and 18 housed in an insulator housing 20, which may be made of any of many types of insulating material such as ceramic, Bakelite, etc. An opening 22 is provided in insulator housing 20 to receive therein a movable pin 24 made of electrically conductive material, The pin is spring loaded by spring 26 which seats on a flange 28 of pin 24 and has its other end seated against a guide 30 mounted in opening 22 and adjacent the end 32 of male member 12.

To serve as a seat for contact of conducting pin 24, pins 16 and 18 are each provided with a flanged portion 34 and 36, respectively, against which the flange 28 of pin 24 rests when the connector is in the disassembled position.

To retain the pins in housing 20, a pair of disk-like members 21 and 23 are mounted in the base of member 12. An aperture 25 is provided through the disk-like members to serve as a guide for pin 24 in its reciprocal movement. Pin 24 includes a portion 27 which extends through the aperture.

The female member of the connector includes a pair of receptacles 35 and 37 which are connected to a pair of leads 38 and 40 respectively. To serve as a seat for male member 12, there is provided on female member 14 a surface 44 which cooperates with pin 24 in a manner described hereinbelow, to aid in the movement of pin 24.

Both the male and female members may be provided with shield if desired. A shield 46, comprised of electrically conductive material, is secured around the periphery of male member 12 and a lead 48 is connected from shield 46 to guide 30 for electrical connection to pin 24 through spring 26. A similar shield 50 is secured around the periphery of female member 14. The shields may be grounded if desired.

In the disassembled position (FIGURE 1), flange 28 of pin 24 is in Contact with flanges 34 and 36 of pins 16 and 18, respectively, thus shorting pins 16 and 18 together and the pins are also shorted to the shield 46 of male rnember 12. FIGURE 5 illustrates the electrical circuit of fthe connector in the position shown in FIGURE 1. I During assembly of the connector (FIGURE 2), the first contact made between members 12 and 14 is by the {Shield}? and St) at which time both the shields and P and 18 are shorted together. FIGURE 6 illustrates h electrical circuit when the connector is in the position "shown in FIGURE 2.

As the female member is further attached to the male member (FIGURE 3), pins 16 and 18 are seated in receptacles 35 and 37, to make contact with leads 38 and 40, respectively. At this point, members 16, 18, 24, 38 and 40 are shorted and shielded. FIGURE 7 illustrates the electrical circuit when the connector is in the position shown in FIGURE 3.

To permit electrical energy to pass through the connector, the male member is moved further into the female member until portion 27 of pin 24 engages seat 44 of the female member and further movement of the male member forces pin 24 backwards until flange 28 thereof diserlgages the flanges 34 and 36 (FIGURE 4). At this ifpoint, the male and female members are fully connected fand the conductors of the male member are unshorted. The shields are connected only to their respective shields and the conductors 16 and 18 are connected only to leads "35% and 40, respectively, to permit electrical energy to pass through the connector. As can readily be seen, the present invention permits all connections to be made under shielded and shorted conditions. FIGURE 8 illustrates the electrical circuit when the connector is in the position shown in FIGURE 4.

Members 12 and 14 of the connector may be moved into engagement manually if desired or they may be moved through any means for transmitting movement known in the art, such as pistons, motors, etc.

Another embodiment of the connector of the present invention is illustrated in FIGURES 9 and wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts. The structure of this embodiment provides means whereby member 12 is completely shielded at all times.

As shown in FIGURE 9, shield 46 is provided with a portion 52 which extends from housing and is provided with a metallic pie-shaped plate 54 at the base 56 of extendin portion 52. Portion 52 is of larger diameter than the portion of shield 46 which encloses housing 20.

Plate 54 includes segments 58 (FIGURE 10) which are spring loaded to extending portion 52. A spring 60 is secured to portion 52 and to each segment 58 and is disposed for biasing the plate outwardly in closed position (FIGURE 9) to prevent stray radiation from entering member 12 at any time prior to assembly of the male and female members.

When members 12 and 14 are assembled, shield 50 of member 14 forces the segments of plate 54 inwardly to permit electrical connection of the contacts of members 12 and 14 in the manner described above. However, as the segments are pivoted inwardly shield 50 is in contact with an inwardly extending shoulder 51 of the extending portion 52. The remaining steps of the assembly are :similar to that in the embodiment discussed above.

It is understood that the pin 24 and guide may be positioned in female member 14 instead of in member 12 as illustrated. Such arrangement would provide for shorting of conductors 38 and 40 to prevent electrical energy from flowing through conductors 16 and 18 before desired. But such arrangement is included in the inventive concept of the invention.

While the connector of the present invention has been described as having only a pair of conductive pins for 4 connection to a pair of leads, this has been for illustrative purposes only. The connector may utilize many pins for engagement with the corresponding number of electrical leads as may be desired. Such design would permit the connector to be utilized, for example, in connecting the umbilical line, to a missile wherein a plurality of electrical connections may be made through a single device which protects the components from stray RF and electrostatic energy.

It is to be understood that various modifications of the present invention may be restored by those skilled in the art, however, such modifications are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An electrical connector comprising:

(a) a first connector member including an insulating body provided with a first plurality of conductors therein in spaced relation and extending therefrom;

(b) a second connector member including an insulating body provided with a plurality of receptacles disposed therein in spaced relation to receive said first conductors therein responsive to assembly of said first and second members;

(c) a movable conductive member carried in said first member in a first position of engagement with said first plurality of conductors for shorting thereof, said movable conductive member disposed for engagement with said second connector member during the assembly of said members whereby said movable conductive member is displaced from said first position to a second position of disengagement from said first plurality of conductors responsive to assembly of said members; and

(d) shielding means carried by each of said first and second members to prevent stray radiation from entering therein, said shielding means of each of said members disposed for engagement therebetween prior to engagement of said movable conductive member with said female member for shielding of the connector throughout the assembly thereof.

2. An electrical connector as in claim 1 including biasing means for biasing said movable conductors of said first member in engagement with said first plurality of conductors and for permitting disengagement of said movable conductors from said first plurality of conductors responsive to engagement of said movable conductor with said second connector member responsive to assembly of said first and second members.

3. A connector as in claim 2 wherein said shielding means includes a metallic shielding member disposed about the periphery of said insulating body of each of said members to prevent stray radiation from entering therein.

4. A connector as in claim 3 including a metallic guide member carried in said first member for support of said movable conductor during the reciprocal movement thereof.

5. An electrical connector as in claim 4 wherein said biasing means includes a spring carried by said movable conductor, said spring having its ends seated on said movable conductor and said guide means for biasing said movable conductor in engagement with said plurality of conductors prior to assembly of said connector members.

6. An electrical connector as in claim 5 including a conductive lead connected to said guide member and said shield for electrical connection to said movable conductor through said spring in seated engagement with said movable conductor.

7. An electrical connector as in claim 6 wherein said shielding members are disposed about each of said members in position for engagement of each of said shielding members responsive to initial contact of said connector members during assembly thereof.

8. An electrical connector as in claim 7 wherein said shield of one of said members includes a plate disposed at the base of said connector member and in engagement with said shield member around the periphery of said insulated body, said plate being disposed in segments and each segment being spring loaded for biasing said segments in a position which completely closes the base of said connector member, said other connector member disposed for engagement with said plate for pivotal movement of said segments during assembly of said connector members.

9. An electrical connector as in claim 8 with said first plurality of conductors of said first member being a pin having a flange thereon, said pin having a portion extending from said flange and out of said insulating body;

(b) said movable conductor being a pin having a flange thereon for contact with said flanges of said first plurality of conductors when said conductors of said first member is in said first position of engagement.

10. An electrical connector as in claim 9 with said plurality of conductors of said second member being receptacles for insertion therein of said extending portion of said first plurality of conductors for electrical continuity therebetween.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,188,725 1/1940 Riggs 200-51.l1 2,500,184 3/1950 Johnson et al. ZOO-51.1 3,117,193 1/1964 Hirshfield et al. ZOO-51.09 3,288,958 11/1966 Walther et al 200-51.09

ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner.

D. G. SMITH, IR., Assistant Examiner. 

